06/10/2026
⚓️🇬🇧 What a fantastic evening at the Royal Marines Barracks in Salford!
We were delighted to welcome The Right Worshipful The Ceremonial Mayor of the City of Salford, Councillor Robin Garrido, for an evening of military training, veterans' camaraderie and, inevitably, a bit of Uckers!
The Mayor got to see the Royal Marines in action, observing their Troop Fitness Session before getting an insight into General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) training. Always a good reminder that Royal Marines take their fitness slightly more seriously than the rest of us! 💪😂
He then spent time meeting members of the Royal Naval Association and Royal Marines Association, hearing about our associations, our veterans and the strong links between the Armed Forces and the City of Salford.
And then came the serious business… Uckers! 🎲⚓️
For anyone unfamiliar with Uckers, it's essentially the Royal Navy's version of Ludo... except the rules are considerably more complicated, the tactics are questionable, the arguments are inevitable, and absolutely nobody can agree on what the rules actually are! 😂
Traditionally played aboard ships and in messes around the world, Uckers is a great example of the Navy's unique sense of humour and competitive spirit. Needless to say, the Mayor was thrown straight into the deep end!
The Royal Marines Association also introduced the Mayor to the "game of nails". A Royal Marines mess-deck game where players race to hammer nails into a stout log or wooden block. 🙈
Thankfully also had our very own Naval Nurse Anne on standby for the evening. You will be pleased to know her medical services weren't required! Always a good sign when you're spending an evening with Royal Marines! 😂🩺
Anne did, however, have an important presentation of her own, presenting the Mayor with two plaques from Royal Naval Hospitals where she was stationed during her Naval service, a fantastic piece of naval history and a lovely memento of the evening.
A fantastic evening of service, friendship, tradition and a healthy amount of inter-service competitiveness.
A huge thank you to City of Salford Ceremonial Mayor 2026/27 Councillor Robin Garrido for joining us and getting stuck into the evening, and to everyone who helped make it such a memorable visit.
⚓️ The Royal Naval Association: where even a quiet evening can turn into a fitness test, a weapons demonstration, attacking a log with a hammer, and an argument over Uckers! 😂
Royal Naval Association fans Salford City Council Spirit of Salford Salford Now Royal Naval Association City of Salford Branch Councillor Tracy Kelly
